Warners Hit By S&P Rating; Cannes Rolls Along; Hollywood Faces An Uncertain Future; Plus, Are Movie CEOs Overpaid?

It's Wednesday, May 21st. Here's what you need to know.

The Big Picture

The future of the movie industry may be uncertain, but in Cannes, the party keeps rolling. Filmmakers are positioning themselves, eager to win over the critics. So far, Die My Love (quickly purchased by Mubi) and Julia Ducournau's Alpha are creating the most buzz. Meanwhile, back in Hollywood, things are looking shaky: Paramount and Skydance are trying to navigate a hostile M&A environment, and Warner Bros.' stock was downgraded to junk credit status.

🎥 Extra Coverage

For screenwriters just starting out, this is great advice: a ticking clock, gritty characters-basically a female version of Uncut Gems. (Practical Screenwriting)

Here's a simple question: Would Hollywood CEOs work for less? (Deadline)

Cannes 2025 movies: Which films are contenders, and which are pretenders? (IndieWire)

A breakdown of the indie films with potential to pop this summer. (Cultured)

Warner Bros.' credit rating was downgraded by S&P to junk status. (TheWrap)

American studios appear to be giving Cannes the high hat this year. Politics might be behind the soft market. (The Ankler)

💰 MovieNewsPro Index

Market Close: Wednesday, May 21st, 2025
Total Value: $103,033.25
Today's Change: -$1,169.36 (-1.12%)
Total Gain/Loss: $3,033.22 (3.03%)

The stock market tumbled today, and the MovieNewsPro Index dropped along with it, closing down (-1.12%). Starz continued to shine ,though, up 3.23%. Former parent Lionsgate led the decliners, down (-4.04%).

Disclaimer: The MovieNewsPro Index is a virtual index - there are no actual funds invested. Sector index total value dollar amounts are based on an initial hypothetical investment of $100,000 on May 12th, 2025. We are not licensed investment advisors and our information should not be used as investment advice. Invest wisely.

🍿 Film Festivals

Cannes Film Festival, France - May 13-24
Marché du Film, France - May 13-21
Seattle International Film Festival, US - May 15-25
Docaviv, Israel - May 22-31
Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, Canada - May 23-31
Krakow Film Festival, Poland - May 25-June 1
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, US - May 27-June 1
Nippon Connection Film Festival, Germany - May 27-June 1
Mendocino Film Festival, US - May 29-June 1

📺 Watch This Tonight

Safe (1995)
Directed by Todd Haynes
Where do you feel safe? Another incredible performance from Julianne Moore.

Disclaimer/Transparency
MovieNewsPro is a film industry news monitoring service. All stories have been previously reported elsewhere and are not exclusive stories to MNP. All information is believed to be accurate at the time of reporting. MovieNewsPro uses a full array of technology to gather information, including machine learning, automation and artificial intelligence throughout its business monitoring, editing and reporting process.